Sermon Central
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I Gotta Find Bubba Series
Contributed by Troy Borst on Jun 3, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus says the greatest love is when someone else lays down their life for us. That is the definition of the Son of God! Forrest literally laid his life down when he went back into enemy territory to save his friend Bubba.
AT THE MOVIES 2020:
“I GOTTA FIND BUBBA”
John 15:12-17 #CCCAtTheMovies
INTRODUCTION
The movie scene I am going to share with you today comes from the 1994 film Forrest Gump. Forrest, Forrest Gump is a simple fellow with good intentions. He struggles through childhood with several impairments. His ‘mama’ teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. His mother told him among other things that “life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.” That is probably the most famous line from the movie.
Forrest has many adventures in his life. He joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends named Dan and Bubba. He wins medals, starts a ping-pong craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, creates the smiley, writes bumper stickers and songs, donates to people and meets the president several times.
In the movie scene I am going to share with you today, the scene is set during the war in Vietnam. Forrest's platoon receives enemy fire. He runs away as fast as he can from danger, just as his friend Jenny told him to. When he arrives safe on the water's edge, he realizes his best friend Bubba isn't there. He runs back into the jungle to find Bubba, saving others along the way.
When I saw this clip I thought of:
Proverbs 18:24 which says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
1 John 3:16 which says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
SHOW PURCHASED VIDEO CLIP FROM WINGCLIPS
https://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/forrest-gump
When I saw this video clip, in addition to Proverbs 18:24 and 1 John 3:16, I also thought of John 15 where Jesus teaches His disciples in the upper room before He is betrayed. He teaches them that He is the way to God (John 14), that the Holy Spirit will come to them (John 14), about abiding in Him as vine and branches (John 15), and encourages them to be faithful in hard times (John 15). I thought of John 15:12-17 specifically.
READ JOHN 15:12-17
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
JESUS’ COMMAND IS TO LOVE (VERSES 12-13)
This passage that we are looking at this morning begins with a command from Jesus Christ. This is a command from the Son of God. This is not a suggestion. It is not multiple choice. It is not choose your own adventure. This is a command from the God. It is a must. It is a requirement.
Jesus commands us to love because love should be a distinguishing mark of His followers. Jesus’ command is one that echoes the Old Testament. Jesus echoes Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 where we are commanded to love God and love others. Jesus even teaches we must love our enemies (Matthew 5) which doesn’t always make sense to us.
Jesus commands us to love is one that He actually lived out in His daily life. That is why He commands us to love “as I have loved you.” Jesus is the standard of love. He touched and healed lepers. He went to Zaccheus’ house. He spoke with a sinful Samaritan woman and brought her redemption. Ultimately, He gave Himself willingly for us that we might be saved from sin.
That last part is important… that Jesus willingly died for us. We should note that in verse 13 Jesus defines love in a particular way in this passage. “Laying down your life for another” is in fact love. As I think about this, I think of police officers, soldiers, nurses, fire fighters, and others who lay their lives on the line daily for the sake of others. It is a compassionate and loving person that chooses such a profession. Jesus does not ask us to love in ways that He was not willing to do. Jesus willingly died for you and for me showing us the full extent of His love for us.
